Bowling pin lifting mechanism



y 1942- G. J. SCHMIDT BOWLING PIN LIFTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 31, 1940 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 'INVEN TOR GOTTFRIED J. SCHMI T ATTORNEY y 1942- G. J. SCHMIDT BOWLING PIN LIFTING MECHANISM 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill/III/Ilf/I/lllI/l Filed Jan. 31. 1940 Nam mm v \N ATTORNEY INVENTOR GOTTFRIED .LS HMlD BY ww i May 19, 1942. G. J. SCHMIDT BOWLING PINLIFTING MECHANISM Filed Jan. 31, 1940 3 sheetssheet 3 lNVENTOR GOTTFRIED J.Scum o'r ATTORNEY Patented May is, 1942 BOWLING PIN LIFTING MECHANISM Gottfried J. Schmidt, Pearl River, N. Y., assignor to Bowling Patents Management Corporation, a corporation of New York Application January 31, 1940, Serial No. 316,468

7 15 Claims. This invention relates to an automatic bowling pin machineand more particularly to a bowling pin lifting mechanism which functions to grip the head of a bowling pin, and which operates with equal effectiveness regardless of any variations in the diameter of head or over-all length of the pins used in playing of the game.

sort to shaving the bottom of some of the pins This invention relates generally to the type of device disclosed in my co-pending patent application, Serial No. 173,926 filed November 10, 1937,,

in substantially the exact spot from which they were raised for respctting and hence it is relatively impossible for a pin to be respotted on the alley in improper position.

It is, therefore, an object of this invention to provide improved pin handling mechanism for lifting standing pins from a bowling alley and returning them in proper spotted arrangement upon the alley from which they were lifted.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a table having a plurality of suction actuated bowling pin lifting devices wherein each device is furnished with means for positively engaging and positioning the heads of standing pins for lifting regardless of height before the pins are lifted from the bed of an alley and respotted thereon.

It is an additional object of the invention to provide fluid operated bowling pin lifting elements having setting devices which engage with the top of the head ends of standing bowling pins, and properly position said pins with respect to each device before each pin is positively gripped for lifting and respotting on the bowling alley.

The invention further contemplates the provision of suction bowling pin lifting devices having means for centering each devicerelative to a standing pin and in addition thereto yielding stop mechanism for positioning each device properly with respect to each standing pin prior to the gripping of each pin.

Although bowling pins are generally furnished in sets and each has substantially the same di mensions, nevertheless, because of wear incurred during the play of the game there may be a rein-each set in order to true them up so that modified pins will stand upon an alley. While this removal of wood does not make the pins unplayable, it may, nevertheless, change the height so that some of the pins will be taller than others. Obviously such a condition raises a problem in connection with automatic setting and respotting, hence provision should be made to compensate for anyand all variations in the height of pins to be lifted, if best results are to be obtained. Y

The invention also includes the provision of a lifting device for handling bowling pins, which device has arranged thereon in predetermined order, a plurality of bowling pin holding units having associated therewith means for creating suction in each unit to grip standing bowling pins when each pin has been properly located in its respective unit, whereupon the pins thus vide means for gripping standing pins .without moving the pins from their spotted P sitions, lift them a certain distance from the alley, and then return them thereto without dropping them when the suction is turned oil with an accompanying undesirable noise and possible disarrangement.

My invention further includes the provision of a suction pin gripping means having a device for compensating for the variation in height of pins and which is actuated by suction to grip pins only after all pins to be lifted have been properly disposed with respect to the lifting table.

With these and other objects not specifically mentioned in view, the invention consists in certain combinations and construction which will be hereinafter fully described, and then set forth in the claims hereunto appended.

In tie accompanying drawings which form a. part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate the same or like Figure 1 is a partial view of the pin setter table in which one of the respotting units has contacted a pin standing on the alley floor;

Figure 2 is a view of thesame section of the 2 position about to grip a pin standing on the alle Figure 5 is a sectional elevation, on line 5-5 of Figure 7, showing an alternate design which functions similarly to the design shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive:

Figure 6 is a sectional elevation on line 6-6 of Figure 5 v Figure 7 is a partial plan view on line 1-4 of Figure-5;

Figure 8 is a partial sectional plan view on line 8-6 of Figure 5 Figure 9 is a detail view in perspective of the guard or track means forming a part of the pin elevating table mechanism; and

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the setter table,

formed of rubber or other suitable material having like qualities, may be placed around the exterior of rim 25 of cup 5| (as shown in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive) and assist in securely holding the pin to the cup when a vacuum is created within the cup in that part surrounding the head of a pin to be gripped. In the preferred form of my invention, cup or piston 5| having a skirt portion or a depending pin engaging flange is slid-,

ably mounted in casing I! and is normally pressed outwardly by means of a spring 52 into engagement with an abutment 41 either formed integrally with the casing II or mounted thereon. Spring 52, which exerts a pressure on cup 5| slightly greater than the combined weight of easing I1 and guide I8 prevents cup 5I from sliding vertically until the pin setter table has been lowered enough to bring the under-surface and means for raising, lowering and inverting the same.

The construction of my improved pin handling a mechanism, which includes the pin setter table and the arrangement of suction gripping means is generally the same as that shown in my patent above referred to. Referring to Figures 1, 2, 3 and4, numeral 61 designates generally the elevator table which supports the several pin lifting elements H. Each of these elements rests plate I4 to which lower plate I5 is secured by means of spacers I6. The suction pin gripping device. in the preferred form of my invention, consists of a suction cup or casing I! having aifixed thereto a conically shaped downwardly flaring pin guide I 8 which with the casing Il constitutes a floating pin gripping unit. When the pin setter table 61 is lowered to pick up and then respot a pin 26, which has been left standing on the alley after the throwing of a ball, the pin guide I6 engages the head of a pin 26 and if the pin has been displaced from its spot on the alley, such for instance as Figure 1, the pin gripping unit H will move laterally relative to the table and particularly plate I5, because of its engagement with the pin, so that as the pin setter table 61 continues its downward movement, the head of the pin 26 will cause the pin guide I6 with casing II to slide along plate I5 until the casing is directly centralized over the pin, as shown in Figure 2.

As the table 61 is lowered, the head of a pin 26 enters casing I1, and comes to rest against a portion of a suction piston 5 I which is movably mounted within the casing I1 and may have a bevelled rim or stop portion 25 arranged to engage with and fit closely about the head of the standing pin 26. A gasket 21, which may be of plate I 4 in contact with gasket 24 of the casing I'I. That is, as the pin setter table 61 moves down to its final stop position, each standing pin 26 will cause its respective cup 5| through the engagement with the head of the pin to slide upward in casing I 'I after sealing ring 24 mounted on disk 2| which supports casing II, has been moved by the pin into contact with top plate I4. The amount of movement imparted to the cup 5I against the tension ,of spring 52 varies with the variation in height of pins 26. That is to say, if one pin is taller than another the taller pin will cause spring 52 to be'compressed more than the shorter. The space allotted for movement of cup 5I is sufiicient to allow for the maximum variation in the height of pins.

The suction valve 28 consists of a piston 34, which is kept in suspended position, balanced between two opposing springs 35a and 35b in the valve body.

Valve stem 35 provided with a bore 36 and a hole 4| establishes communication with the interior of the valve 26. The springs 35a and 35b balance the piston 34 so as to keep the hole 4,I normally below the bottom of the valve, thus preventing suction from entering the hollow 39 of valve stem 35.

When the pin setter table 61 descends, the gripper unit H is lifted away from plate I5 by a pin standing on the alley and, as it approaches plate I4, disc 2I contacts and pushes valve stem 35 up into the valve 28, establishing communication through hole 4I between the interior 39 of valve stem 35 and the suction valve 28.

When the pin setter table 61 has reached its lowest position, the suction is automatically ap- A circular ring 46 is attached to or formed integral with the underside of plate I 4, concentric with the suction valve 26. Its function is to limit the amount of radial displacement of the gripper unit H, when maneuvering the table with the suction cut oil.

In the regular operation of the machine, the suction is automatically turned on while the table 61 is being rotated, causing the valve stem 55 to impinge on the top disc 2|, pressing the bottom rim of pin guide I8 against the bottom plate I5, thus keeping it from sliding out of position.

In Figure 3 is shown a pin 26 about to be lifted after it has shifted and centered the pin gripping unit H, and the handle portion of the pin has been properly seated in the suction cup whereupon, on the completion of the downward movement of the pin setter table 61, the' unit H is lifted from plate l5 so that the sealing ring 24 moves into contact with the upper plate I4 of the pin elevator table 61. If a pin 26 is slightly taller than another, spring 52 will be compressed as the suction cup 5| is moved by the pin head upward against the spring 52 after the sealing ring 24 has been seated against the underside of plate l4. A similar automatic adjustment takes place simultaneously with respect to all of the other pin gripping units H which are coacting with other standing pins. As the suction is turned on in valve 28, each pin positioned against the bevelled edge 25 of the flange of its respective suction cup 5| is firmly gripped by the vacuum created within the suction cup. Suction enters the cup through conduit 50 projecting into bore 49 formed in hub 48 of each suction cup. Holes 56 admit air above the suction cup 5|. Following the application of suction, pin setter table 61 is raised by means of motor 94, drum 93 and cable 92, until all standing pins have been lifted far enough above the alley bed to allow clear space for sweeping mechanism to clear the alley after which the pin setter table is lowered, the pins are respotted on the alley in the precise position from which.

Figure 4, which is drawn to a larger scale,

shows the elements of the suction gripping mechanism more in detail and hence more clearly discloses the functioning of the associated suction elements. It is to be noted that in this figure, suction casing I1 is shown concentric to the suction valve 28 and not eccentric thereto as shown in Figure 3. However, the effeet when suction is created in gripping cup 5| would be the same in either case since the gripping units H are shiftable relative to the valve 28 and raising of valve stem 35 against the spring 35a to create suction in cup 5| will take place whenever disk 2| engages the stem and elevates it against the compression of spring 52.

50 is provided with an opening such as a transverse slot 49a so that even if the head of a pin should come in contact with the head of a nipple due to the compression of spring 52 suction can enter cup 5| through the transverse slot 49a. Through the bore 53 of nipple 40, the suction enters the interior of the chamber of cup 5| or that space surrounding the head end of a standing pin engaged by a bevelled edge of stop portion 25 and the sealing gasket 21 so that the gasket 21 seals the bottom of cup 5| to the head of the pin 26 and a complete suction grip is established. This mechanism makes it possible for a pin to be. gripped, held, lifted and returned to the bed of a bowling alley in the exact position it occupied prior to the lifting from the alley. This is true even if the pin be canted or inclined slightly from the vertical because of the functioning of the stop portion of the suc-' tion cup. This means that if a fallen pin rolls against a standing pin and tilts it slightly, the pin will be'picked up in its tilted position and returned to the alley in the same position, or if the bottom of a pin is worn or in some other manner provided with a flat surface which causes it to tilt, the pin will be restored to the alley in the same arrangement it occupied prior to lifting.

In Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, are shown views of a modified form of my invention. As in the preferred form disclosed in Figures 1 to 4, inclusive,

suction is utilized in gripping andlifting standvided a disk or plate 63 having adjacent its pe- This is because as the pin setter table 61 is lowered and a pin gripping unit H is engaged by a standing pin and lifted relative to the lowering table, the valve stem 35 will contact the plate 2| and will be pushed up into valve 28 until gasket or sealing ring 24 is seated against plate M to effect the evacuation of the gripping system.

When the suction is turned on into 38 of valve 28, it passes through an opening 4| in the bore 39 of valve stem 35 and from there through a bore 53 formed in a nipple or projection 50-carried by disk 2| (as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4). The end of valve stem 35 which engages with disk 2| is provided with a transverse slot 4|a in order to conduct suction to suction cup 5|.

ripher-y a sealing gasket 24. Depending from this plate is a casing Na in which is movably mounted a suction cup 6| provided with a pin engaging bevelled edge or stop means 25 and surrounding this portion of the cup is a flexible gasket 21 which assists in sealing the pin to the suction cup whenever a vacuum is created within the cup. Adjacent the upper part of the suction cup is a rim 6 la which coacts'with set screws 6|b mounted in the sides of casing |'|a for limiting the outward movement of cup 6| from the casing l'la. A spring 62 positioned between the underside of plate 63 and a socket 62a formed in the top of the suction cup 6|,'normally tends to force the rim 6|a against screws 6|b. In order to conduct suction from line 38 through bore 39 of valve stem 35, a bore 64 is formed in casing Ila (as shown in Figures 5, 7 and 8), which bore connects with the top of plate 63-and the interior of casing |'|a. Suction cup. BI is provided with an opening which extends for any suitable distance thereabout and is so located with respect to bore 64 that whenever suction is conducted through the bore 64, opening 65 will register therewith and the space within the suction cup and adjacent the. head of a standing pin will be evacuated, whereupon the pin head, which is seated against the bevelled portion 25 of the flange of the cup will be firmly gripped and sealed to the cup by means of the gasket 21. In.

order to provide additional means insuring the creation of suction within thesuction cup, at all times, when suction is to be applied and especially in those cases where gasket 24 might be compressed too much and thus cut off the path of suction from valve 38 to suction cup, a plurality of grooves 65a may be formed in the upper surface of plate 63 which will assist in the creation of suction in the cup. Holes 66 admit air above the suction cup 6|.

'The operation of the modified form shown in Figures 5, 6, 7 and 8, is substantially the same as that in the preferred form of Figures 1 to 4, inclusive. As table 61 moves downwardly, a standing pin will engage downwardly flaring guide member l8 and cause the unit H to shift laterally on plate l and then to be lifted into centralized position so that stop 25 of the cup 6| may be accurately positioned for gripping and lifting the pin As the table proceeds downwardly, each unit H, engaged by a standing pin, will be raised relative to the plate I5 towards the underside of plate I4 until at the lowermost limits of the table 61, gasket 24 of each unit H will engage the underside of plate It and operate valves 35 for causing suction to be created through the several conduits connecting with the suction cups 6|. In the meantime if any of the pins being handled are irregular in height, automatic adjustments or compensations have been made because of the, yieldable slidable mounting of suction cups 6| which automaticallyallow each pin to adjust the position of its particular pin gripping suction cup with respect to the elevator table 61. .As in the preferred form shown in Figures 1 to 41, inclusive, this arrangement precludes any pins being lifted prior to accurate positioning in the cups before they are lifted and any pins from dropping onto the alley in improper position as they are about to be returned for respotting on the alley. When the'pins have all been respotted on the alley, suction is turned off and they are released from the gripping units H simultaneously, noiselessly and without danger of being disarranged or knocked over, as might be possible if they were allowed to drop even a fraction of an inch from the alley floor.

In Figure 10 there has been shown diagrammatically suitable mechanism for raising, lowering and inverting the table: which carries the bowling pin lifting mechanism which forms the basis of this application. The mechanism for moving table 61 toward and away from alley bed I20 comprises a pair of spaced vertical grooved tracks or guides 68 (see also Figure 9) which are preferably u-shaped in cross section. The upper ends of the vertical tracks are rigidly connected by a horizontal frame 68, and their lower ends are attached to the partitions I23 of the alley. Each grooved track 68 is provided with a lateral branching extending portion, designated generally 10, including an upper branch II and a lower branch 12 connected by an intermediate curved portion I3. The upper branch II also leads into the outer end of an auxiliary branch 14 adjacent to the curved portion 13 and the pivoted gate 15 is arranged to control the passage of the follower 16 from the branch 12 into the branch 14. The gate I5, which is forced inwardly by a spring 16a has a stopshoulder 'l'! at its lower end.

It is thus seen that followers 16 on crank arms 18 secured rigidly to the shaft I8 when travelis similar to gate 15 and will serve to permit the ing downwardly through branch II, will depressfollower to travel along the branch 14 to enter the vertical track 68 but will prevent the follower from entering the upper end of the branch 14 when it moves downwardly in the track 68.

A second pivoted gate 83 is arranged adjacent the union of the upper end of the branch 14 with the track 68 and has a stop shoulder 84. This gate is spring pressed and is similar to gate I5. Gate 83 will direct the follower 16 from the grooved track 68 into the upper end of branch II when the follower I6 is moved downwardly. When the follower l6 moves upwardly in the track 68 beneath gate 88, it will depress the gate and move it to the upper portion of the track 68. Arranged at the junction at the lower end of the branch 12 and track 68 'is'a two-way gate 85 pivoted at 86 and provided with a spring catch 81 to hold the gate releasable in shiftable posltion,

Elevator 61 is rigidly mounted on shaft 18 (Figure 9) which is rockable in bearings 88 fixed to plate 88 rigidly secured to carriage 80. These carriages travel on the outside of the tracks 68 and have guide rollers a engaging members 68.

The carriages are raised by cables 82 extending upwardly and passed about pulleys 83 rotated by motor 84 or other suitable driving means which are suitably controlled, as set forth in my copending application, Serial No. 101,322 filed September 17, 1936, to raise and lower the elevator 61. A suction pipe 85 is connected with each of the pipes 86 through the hollow interior 81 of the shaft 18, this pipe being connected to a suitable source of vacuum, such as pump 88.

In the operation of'the apparatus when the elevator begins to descend to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 10, the cam follower 16, which is mounted on crank arm 18 fixed to shaft 18 of the carrier 61, enters the inclined branch II of the cam track 10 and causes the carrier to be tilted. By the time the follower 16 reaches the curved portion 13, the elevator has been tilted so that its weight-tends to complete the tilting acigon and the arm 18 is now arranged above the elevator instead of below it, and as the elevator continues its downward movement, arm 18 continues to approach the vertical until the follower I6 again enters the track 68 below the branch 12, at which time the then continues its downward movement until the butt end of the pins 26 in the holders 88 con-- tact the alley bed as mentioned above.

At this point, the motor'" is operated to raise the elevator 61, and as it moves upwardly follower 16 will move in track 68 until it'engages gate 85, previously shifted to the left, as shown in dotted lines in Figure 9, and thereafter the follower will travel through branch 12, curved portion 18, branch 14 and will pass gate 88 and re-enter vertical track 68 near and beneath the gate 83. This movement of the elevator'61 by arm 18 effects a turn in an opposite direction for one-half of a revolution to completely invert the same, whereby the shiftable resetting members H with their suction pin holding members I] will be in the lowermost position and the holders 9! in the uppermost, as shown at the upper center of Figure 10. The motor is then stopped and the elevator brought to rest at this point while the first ball is rolled.

As a result of throwing the first ball, all of the pins may be knocked down, if th player proved means for effecting the removal and respotting of standing pins after the throwing of a ball. In order to lift standing pins while deadwood is being removed, motor 93 is started again and elevator 61 descends to bring the resetting suction devices I] to proper engagement with the head end of the standing pins. After this occurs the motor 94 is stopped, and the elevator 61 is brought to rest with the gripping units H positioned for engagement with the head ends of standing pins, the conical downwardly flaring elements l8 having served to shift units H. In this manner, even if pins have been shifted somewhat from their original spotted positions or the positions marked on the alley bed, my

pin lifting mechanism will be effective to grip,-

lift, and replace each particular pin lifted in the exact position it occupied prior to that operation.

It should benoted that when elevator 61 was lowered to bring resetting units H into engagement with the head ends of any standing pins, follower 16 travels through the vertical tracks 68 and swings gate 85 to the right. Upward movement of the elevator 61 is efiected when motor 94 is run in a reverse direction, then follower 16' will not enter branch 12 but instead will travel vertically through track 68 and be stopped near and beneath gate 83. The deadwood is then cleared away, motor 84 is again started and the elevator 61 is lowered so that follower I6 continues to travel in the vertical track 68 and passes gate 85, which is now at the right (Figure 9) because it was fastened into that position on the previous downward trip of the elevator. The downward movement of elevator 61 continues until the pins have been reset, whereupon it returns to its initial starting position and the cycle of operation can be repeated. Therefore, by the action of tracks ll, 12, 13 and 68 and their associated gates with follower I6, elevator 61 is inverted as a result of its vertical movement by the motor 94 and its lifting cable 92.

Suction is created in each of the casings i1 after the table 61 has been lowered and the suction cups have been positioned laterally with reference to the standing pins which they are to lift. The continued downward movement of the elevator 61 causes outward flaring member l8 to shift the cups until theheads of standing pins are positioned against stops 25 which are yieldably mounted in casing I! so that regardless of the height of standing pins each pin will be positively positioned by fluid pressure gripping prior to the raising of the elevator 61.

In this manner, it is positively assured that each of the standing pins will be lifted for removal of "deadwood."

The invention above described may be varied in construction within the scope of the claims,

for the particular device, selected to illustrate the invention, is but one of many possible concrete embodiments of the same. It is not, there fore, to be restricted to the precise details of thestructure shown and described.

What is claimed is: I

1. In a bowling pin handling device for a bowling pin setting machine, a casing. a suction cup comprising a flanged piston movably mounted in said casing, said flange being arranged to encircle and embrace the head of a bowling pin, an abutment limiting the movement of said cup towards said pin head, and resilient means pressing said flange against said abutment. v

2. A bowling pin handling device for a bowling pin setting machine, comprising a disk, a substantially cylindrical casing mounted on and depending from said disk, a suction conduit connecting said disk with the interior of said casing, a suction cup provided with a top portion and depending flange having stop means for encircling and engaging the head end of a bowling tending to force said piston from said casing into engagement with a standing pin, stop means forming a part of said flange of said piston and arranged to engage the head end of said standing pin, and means for creating suction in said piston between one face of. said piston within said flange and the head end of a pin positioned said means, a nipple mounted on said casing and slidable in said bore, and a suction passage formed in the end of said nipple.

5. A bowling pin handling device for a bowling pin setting machine comprising a casing, a disk mounted on said casing, said casing being provided with a bore extending from said disk to the interior of said casing, a flanged, suction cup slidably carried by said casing, means for securing said cup in said casing for movement between predetermined limits. a spring normally tending to push said cup from said casing, said cup being provided with an opening in the flanged portion thereof communicating with said bore, and constructed and arranged to introduce suction within said flange and hold the head end of a pin encircled by the flange of said cup.

6. A bowling pin handling device for a bowling pin setting machine comprising, a disk provided with a suction conduit, a casing mounted on said disk, an abutment formed on the interior of said casing adjacent one end, a suction cup having a top portion and a dependingpin engaging flange movably mounted in said casing, said top portion being provided with a hub movable relative to and over said conduit, and a spring mounted between said disk and top portion or said suction cup and normally urging said cup against said abutment for engagement with a pin.

'7. A bowling pin handling device for a bowling pin setting machine comprising, a disk provided with a suction conduit, a casing mounted on said disk, an abutment formed on the interior of said casing adjacent one end, a suction cup having a plate portion and depending flange movably mounted in said casing, said suction cup being provided with a hub movable relative to and over said conduit, a spring mounted between said disk and-plate portion of the suction cup and normally urging said cup against said abutment, and a downwardly flaring element associated with said casing and arranged to center said device in position to seat a standing pin in said cup.

8. In a bowling pin setting apparatus for use with an alley bed, having an elevator movable vertically to and from said alley bed, a suction pin holding device carried by said elevator and mounted for individual vertical and horizontal movement relaitve thereto, said device comprising a disk mounting a ealing ring, a casing supported by said disk, a chambered suction piston provided with a depending pin engaging flange slidably supportedin said casing, spring means normally tending to project said piston from said casing, said piston having a hub with a suction bore formed therein, and meansior evacuating the air in said piston in the space enclosed by said flange and head of a pin through said bore to grip a pin seated in said piston;

9. A bowling pin handling device for a pin setting machine comprising a casing, a

flanged piston movably mounted in said casing and provided-with stop means on said flange for a casing, an abutment formed on the interior of said casing, a suction cup comprising a chambered member'having' a top portion and a depending flange slidably mounted in said asing, a

. spring engaging the top portion of said member normally pressing said cup against said abutment, stop means formed on said flange and arranged'to encircle and engage the handle end of a standing pin, and means for lowering said device to cause a standing pin to compress said .spring and seat the handle end thereof within said flange and against said stop means.

11. In a'bowling pin gripping device, a disk provided with a projecting suction conduit, a casing mounted on said disk, a spring pressed slidbowlin ably mounted piston having a top portion and a rigid depending flange located in said casingand provided with a bore in said top portion slidably mounted on said conduit, stop means 'formed on said flange of said piston and arranged; to engage the head end of a standing pin, and means to connect said piston through said bore and said conduit with a source of suction togrip'said pin in said piston.

12. In a bowling pin gripping device, a disk provided with a projecting suction conduit, having a transverse suction slot at its free end, a casing mounted on said disk, a spring pressed chambered suction cup located in said casing for sliding movement relative thereto and provided with a bore slidably mounted on said conduit, stop means formed on said cup and arranged to engage the head end of a standing pin, and means to connect said cup through said bore and said conduit with a source of suction to grip said pin in said cup.

13. In a bowling pin gripping device, a support provided with a suction conduit, a casing mounted on said support, a slidable chambered suction cup having a depending flange located in said casing and provided with a bore slidably movable on said conduit, stop means formed on said cup flange and arranged to engage the head end of a standing pin, means to connect said cup through said bore and said conduit with a source of suction to grip said pin in aid cup, and a flexible ring surrounding said cup adjacent said stop means for sealing said pin head'to said cup.

14. In a bowling pin gripping device, the combination with a support having a suction conduit, and a transverse suction passage at its free end, of a casing mounted on said support, a slidable chambered suction cup located in said casing and provided with a bore slidably engaging with said conduit, means for effecting relative movement between said device and a standing bowling pin for positioning the head end of said pin in the chambered portion of said slidable cup, means for urging said cup into engagement with said pin regardless of the height of the pin to be gripped by said device, and said bore and conduit being so constructed and arranged that suction can be conducted through said passage to said cup regardless oi the position of the pin head in said cup.

15. A bowling pin handling device for a bowling pin setting machine, comprising a disk provided with a plurality of grooves on one face thereof. a I

suction casing depending from said disk, 3, suction cup provided with stop means arranged to encircle and embrace the head end of a standing pin movably mounted in said casing, means norao'rrr nrnn J. SCHMIDT; 

